Kenya begins electric vehicle assembly at Ksh.320M Mombasa plant

 Rideence Africa Limited will invest Ksh.320 million to start assembling electric vehicles locally at the Associated Vehicle Assemblers (AVA) plant in Mombasa, as the company shifts from importing fully built units to domestic production.

In a statement issued on Monday, the firm said the first phase will see 152 electric vehicles assembled from completely knocked-down kits by the end of February 2026.

These include 132 Henrey taxi models and 20 Joylong electric high-roof matatus.

Rideence has so far operated by importing finished vehicles from China for its lease-to-drive taxi and matatu business.The company reports deploying more than 180 electric vehicles over the past three years, comprising 54 matatus and 128 taxis, which it says is the largest electric ride-hailing fleet in East Africa.

Under its leasing model, drivers pay Ksh.2,400 per day for the vehicles. The company estimates charging costs at about Ksh.400 for a 200-kilometre range, compared to more than Ksh.2,000 for petrol over the same distance.

Managing Director Minnan Yu said Rideence has invested more than Ksh1.4 billion in Kenya since 2023 and is now moving toward local manufacturing.

The company plans to increase local parts procurement to over 25 per cent by 2026, with a longer-term target of 40 to 60 per cent.